Through His Eyes
by Amberzlove
Summary: One brother learns to see through another's eyes.
1. Default Chapter

I do not own the TMNT and have not written this for anything beside pure creative pleasure.

Please review. I am trying to improve my writing skills and would love any

feedback you could possibly offer.

Thank you!

Through His Eyes

I have one oldah bro. His name is Leonardo, but we all call him Leo. He is absolutely one of the biggest perfectionist I evah met. We can get into a fight faster than you can say "pizza." We both know how to push one another's buttons. Keeps us on our toes! Heh! I also have two younger brothers as well. Now the eldest of the two, Donatello, is a smart one. He can go into explanations like you would not believe on subjects I've nevah even heard about. Once you get him to start speaking English again, you have the answer to most of your problems especially in regards to machinery. Donnie and I don't have lots in common, but we are always there for one another. The three of us work, most of the time, like a smooth well oiled ninja team all except for my fourth bro. Last but not least is Michelangelo. Man! Baby brothers are one of the most annoying inventions god evah created. They are loud, obnoxious, rude, spying, tattling little brats. Mikey can't evah stay out of trouble and drives me up the wall with his dreaming. All he evah does is play pranks, goof off, and draw in that damn book of his. I mean the kid needs to get a grip! Sheesh.

Splinter, our Sensei, says that my bros and I need to have more patience with Mikey. He told me that I especially used to watch out for Mikey when we was toddlers. Splinter said I would call the brat "my baby." Me? Who's he kidding? Like I would call anything, let alone Mikey, "baby." Hah!

The other day my bros and I were all sitting in the den area of the lair minding our own businesses. Leo and Donnie were playing chess while I was watching one of God's best inventions. Wrestling. Not just any wrestling match mind ya, but the Super Heavy Weight Wrestling Championship of the Decade. I had been waiting months to see this. The Rock was performing one of his classic moves when who should block my view? Yes, you guessed it; a loud, obnoxious, rude, spying, tattling little brat named Mikey.

"Get outta my way!" I ordered him while leaning to see past his big fat shell.

"Dude! Look what I drew Raph!" he says to me shoving that damn sketch book in my face.

"No! Move it Mikey! I'm busy right now." I says.

I noticed Leo and Donnie looking up and rolling their eyes. Mikey had already interrupted their game twice before. Couldn't Mikey get the message? Leave us alone!

"But Dude…" he whined, "I've been working on this a month; I know you'll love it."

I stood up then to throttle him senseless when I noticed that the match was over. NOOOOOOOO! Who won? How did Who win? When did Who Win? WHO WON?!!!!!!! I saw red and I'm not speaking of the color of my bandanna. Then I saw Mikey smiling at me. I jumped up and grabbed Mikey by his plastrons while tossing his sketchbook across the room enjoying the fact that the smile was melting off his face. I shook him several times before throwing him on the couch all the while enjoying the new look on his face. Fear.

"Why can't you just leave me alone for a few damn minutes?!!!" I roared at him, " Do you have to ruin everything?! All I wanted to do was to watch my match and you have to run over and ruin it over a stupid picture. Grow up Mikey!!!!!!!!"

"But I was only…" he started.

"Only what Mikey?" Donnie interrupted, "Every time you get involved you mess up everything. Thanks to you Leo and I had to start our chess game over twice. This is a never ending pattern for you."

"Mikey perhaps you _should_ spend your time a little more productively?" Leo added.

Mikey's face crumpled at this point. That is the only words for what happened. Now most people think that all turtles look alike, and I agree that we are very similar, but there are differences. Mikey has the biggest brownest eyes of all four of us and has perfected the puppy dog eyes to get his way in the past. But this time was different. He looked more like a puppy that had been kicked in the gut. Big crocodile tears rolled from his eyes. Movement too my left caused me to turn my head seeing my Sensei entering the room with concern on his face. Leo and Donnie looked shocked that they had helped make Mikey cry.

Mikey looked at all of us a second and was up and in his room in a whirl of motion tinged in orange. I reached his door just as the bolt slid in place locking out the outside world. The one thought that ran through my head was…What had I done?


	2. Through His Eyes II

I do not own the TMNT and have not written this for anything beside pure creative pleasure.

Please review. I am trying to improve my writing skills and would love any

feedback you could possibly offer.

Thank you!

For those reviews I lost when my computer decided to unload the first chapter without my permission, thank you very much for your comments. You have helped me very much.

I appreciate anything you have to say.

Thank you again!

Through His Eyes

Chapter 2

The looks Sensei kept sending towards my bros and I made my insides twist. I gots to admit that I was feeling a little bad about blowing up, but this was Mikey right? Mikey nevah stayed mad for long! Soon he'd come out of that room of his and crack a joke, I would get him a pizza with his favorite toppings (yuck!), and everything would be fine. Right? Man, who am I kidding? I made my baby brother cry. Damn!

Donnie went over and tenderly picked up Mikey's sketchbook and paused. With a look of shock on his face he began thumbing through the book. With a look of curiosity on his face Leo went over to look at what had Donnie's full attention.

"My God!" Donnie whispered while Leo looked over his shoulder with wide, sad eyes.

Donnie looked up at me with tears in his eyes and held the sketchbook out to me with trembling hands. Curious I took the book from him and opened ta the first page and saw a beautiful picture of Sensei. Sensei's love and honor was shining perfectly from his art twin's eyes as if alive. Each page contained other works of love and perfection. This was the only word ta describe the pictures for they were of all of us rendered with such care and emotion. I turned ta the last picture and saw…myself. Mikey had drawn me with my sais and I was staring out defiantly from the picture. The picture was entitled, "My Protector, My Brother."

"Oh God!" I choked.

Sensei took the sketchbook out of my numb hands. He too looked at Mikey's artwork. The look he sent my way froze me in place. The look said ta me 'he believes you his protector and you have failed him.' I began pounding on Mikey's door even harder than before. I had to get ta him! Now.

"Open the door Mikey!" I pleaded, "I am so sorry! Please open the door."

We nevah heard one peep out of Mikey the rest of the day. Each of my bros and myself tried ta get Mikey ta open the door. Mikey wouldn't even answer Sensei when he tried ta get him ta open the door. I sat down outside his door to wait. I wouldn't budge until Mikey came out. I had ta talk ta him and apologize. Hours went by and the door didn't open. I sat in half-lotus beside the door waiting ta be allowed ta enter. It was late in the evening by this point. Leo and Donnie had gone ta their rooms afta I promised ta get them as soon as Mikey emerged. Sensei's voice startled me out of listening for movement on the otha side of Mikey's door.

"What is it you want from your brother my son?" he said.

"I don't understand what you mean Sensei." I said turning towards him and feeling confused, "I know I want him ta come out so I can apologize. Is that what you mean?"

"No my son. What is it you want Michelangelo to be? Within the last year you have been coming down very hard on your brother. Certainly Michelangelo can be very…enthusiastic, but he has always considered other's feelings and has the best intentions at heart. Even his pranks are childish harmlessness meant only to make other's laugh."

"But that's just it Sensei." I said, "Mikey's head is always in the clouds. His childish behavior is going ta get him hurt badly or worse. He's got ta wise up before he makes a mistake that leads ta things I don't want to think about. Not ta mention…does he _know_ how to push my buttons!"

And how is that different from the way you '_push buttons'_ that belong to Leonardo?" Sensei said with a chuckle, "All I am saying is what I am seeing and hearing from you proves that Michelangelo is correct."

"What do you mean?" I said to Sensei.

"You are his brother and his protector;" he said, " it is up to you how you choose to use these roles. To help shape Michelangelo or to push him away. Good night my son."

Stunned I watched Sensei place Mikey's sketchbook in my lap and enter his room. Sitting outside of my bro's room I began ta look at Mikey's art again. With each page I remembered back ta when we was little. Mikey always choosing me for his partner ta spar or play games. Mikey saving me the last piece of pizza which is a miracle onto itself. Mikey helping me prank Leo even though he hated ta get into trouble with Sensei. Mikey crawling under my bed ta find my lost sai when I was eleven. Mikey looking up ta me. Mikey telling me that I was his favorite brother. Mikey's eyes when I tossed his sketchbook.

Sighing sadly, I leaned my head against the wall looking up at the lair's ceiling. I had not been the brother Mikey deserved for a long time. I nevah meant ta hurt him and I swore to myself that I would make it up ta him. That is, if he will evah open the door. I tapped lightly on Mikey's door.

"We need ta talk Mikey," I softly spoke through the door, "I'll be here to talk to you when you are ready. I'm not going anywhere. Not evah."

I leaned back against the wall beside Mikey's door to wait no mattah how long he stayed in his room. Another hour crawled by and I was beginning to get sleepy. I swear I only closed my eyes for a second, but something felt wrong and I startled awake looking around for danger. There wasn't any, but Mikey's door was open. Sensing movement, my eyes snapped to the entrance to the lair seeing Mikey's orange bandanna tails disappearing ninja silent through the door.

Not thinking, I stood up and just as silently gave chase. Where was Mikey going?


	3. Through His Eyes III

I do not own the TMNT and have not written this for anything beside pure creative pleasure.

Thank you for the ones who have reviewed. Your feedback has been very helpful.

I once again wish to apologize to all the reviewers who gave me feedback on my first chapter that got deleted along with their reviews.

Thank you for those who left feedback for me again.

You are much appreciated for your time.

Amber

Through His Eyes

Chapter 3

Silently I followed my bro's shadow through the sewers. I don't think I've evah seen Mikey look so sad. His head was down and his shoulders were slumped. He seemed so small. His whole demeanor screamed wrong. The thump of my heart provided the beat to the mantra that was repetitively running through my head, 'Your fault. It is all your fault."

Hell! He didn't even have his chucks with him. What if he was attacked? What would he defend himself with? Thank God I nevah left the lair without my trusty sais in my belt. Let anyone or anything try to hurt my bro and see if he, she, or it continues breathing. Man. Mikey seems so out of it I was not even sure if he knows he is being followed or where he is headed.

I followed him stealthily never letting his figure out of my sight. Mikey's wandering started ta seem to have some purpose. His choices in direction started ta seem more automatic ta me as if he had taken this path before and didn't need ta pay attention ta his surroundings. We had traveled for several miles and Mikey didn't look like he was planning on stopping anytime soon. I would follow him to the ends of earth if need be; I was determined not ta lose sight of him.

Mikey turned one final time into a tunnel I had nevah seen before. The tunnel was small and narrow and Mikey had ta turn sideways to slide in. What in the world? Having lost sight of him, I too turned sideways and slid through the tunnel entrance and paused on the other side transfixed. Rather than going on as a normal tunnel does this opened on what looked to be a reservoir area for rainwater. The medium sized pool that filled most of the space reflected shimmering silver from a grate above that let in the moon and starlight from a clear night sky. The walls of this small room area had crumbled slightly giving the whole area a clean mountain brook feel to it. Hell even the air smelled clean, which is saying a lot for this was still a part of the sewers. I stood there with my mouth hanging open with shock. A voice snapped me back ta reality.

"Your not allowed to be here." Mikey said to me angrily, 'This is my secret place and dude, I don't want to hear you say how dumb I am for having one! This place gives me peace of mind and I don't want your bad vibes messing my secret place up."

Mikey glared at me from the shadows sitting on a larger piece of crumbled wall beside the pool. The moonlight was shining off of the tears in his eyes making him look like his eyes contained stardust. Gathering up my courage and my dignity I walked over ta sit on another piece of crumbled wall facing my bro.

"I don't think its dumb to have a secret place and this place is beautiful." I began looking into Mikey's eyes, "I can see why you come here for peace of mind. I would too. But let me say something first. I'm sorry Mikey. I nevah should have yelled at ya or thrown your sketchbook. Hell! I nevah should have laid a hand on ya."

"But you did." Mikey whispered, "I just wanted to show you the radical new picture I drew of you. You are always there for me and I wanted to make you proud of me."

Crystal tears ran down my little brother's face and I did the only thing I knew was right ta do in this situation. I gathered him in my arms as he buried his face in the crook of my neck between my head and my shell and sobbed out his hurt. Rocking Mikey gently I rubbed the back of his shell.

"Hush Baby. Its okay. Everything's going to be okay." I said.

Mikey pulled back from me and looked up at me with shock on his face.

"What did you call me?" he asked.

Thinking back, I realized I had called Mikey 'Baby.' I hadn't done that since I was a toddler. And ya want ta know something? It felt kinda good to say. I felt myself beginning to grin and Mikey grinned back at me with a wet face.

"You haven't called me that in so long Raph." he said, "I've missed when you looked out for me. Why do you hate me now? I promise to change if you just won't hate me!"

Fresh tears began to leak from his eyes.

"No Baby." I assured him, "I don't hate ya. I just worry about ya and haven't expressed that ta ya very well. I have been worried that if you didn't get more serious then something would slip passed your defenses and I couldn't bear for anything to happen to any of my bros let alone my baby brother. And you know something else?"

"What?" he said.

"I don't want you ta change. I like ya…No, I love you just the way you are."

"Really?" he said to me with sparkling eyes.

"Yes. Really." I said, "I've been thinking tonight and realize that I've been taking your talents for granted. You keep all of us on our toes. You make us laugh when we are down and always try ta find the positive ta any situation just about. And I'm sure that Leo and I woulda killed one another by now if you didn't always step in ta diffuse us. I'm sorry for not being a better brother and protector to you."

"What?!" Mikey exclaimed, "You have always been there for me and the others. You are a great big brother and I love you too."

"No. I haven't been." I said, "But from now on I'll always be there for ya just as you have always been there for me. Ya've taught me to see the entire picture and not just my own specific view on it. Promise me a few things?"

"Sure, anything." Mikey said.

"One. Promise me ya will nevah stop working on your art. You are awesome dude! Two. Promise me ya will always remind me of what is right in front of my face. Ya know, ya keep me grounded. Three. Nevah tell the others that I can get mushy too. I have got ta keep my image you know. Four. Sign and frame the picture you drew of me and hang it in my room. And finally, five. Show me how ta get back to the lair because I am thoroughly lost."

"Alright." Mikey said laughing and then sobering back up to look at me with happy eyes, "I promise to all five! And dude, you can come to my secret place whenever you want to, but keep it between just the two of us please. I like having a place all my own."

I didn't even have ta answer Mikey; we were so in tune with one another for the moment he knew my answer ta be an affirmative. I gathered my sleepy, baby brother close to me as we walked back to the lair. At the lair, Mikey graciously accepted the apologies and hugs from our other two bros before giving a long bear hug to Sensei. Under Sensei's and my bros' smiles, I shooed Mikey ta his room and made sure he went ta sleep since he looked exhausted. He was out before his head touched the pillow. I went ta sleep soon after.

They say ya never really know what ya've got until you lose it. They weren't kidding. Mikey will still be annoying and I will always be a hot head. A lot of times I will open my big mouth before thinking, but I will nevah lose sight of what is important again thanks to Mikey. I will protect my family with my very life. But know this. No one hurts my family and gets away with it. And know one hurts my baby.

The End.


End file.
